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Month: November 2024

Employee Engagement Trends are Reason for Celebration

Employee Engagement Trends are Reason for Celebration

Stewart Memorial Community Hospital (SMCH) and McCrary Rost Clinics are proud to announce a significant increase in employee engagement scores for 2024. Based on a survey of 178 staff members, representing 77% of the total workforce, more than 80% of the categories evaluated showed positive improvement, with two categories demonstrating significant positive growth.

Key Highlights:

  • Overall Improvement: The average score across all categories increased by 2.8%.
  • Significant Gains: A nearly 12% improvement in the measurement of “The right changes are being made in my department to better support our patients and/or customers.”
  • Positive Outlook: Top-scoring categories included:
    • I am proud to work for SMCH.
    • My work gives me a sense of personal accomplishment.
    • I would recommend SMCH & McCrary Rost Clinics as a great place to work.
    • I feel optimistic about the future of SMCH & MCRC.
    • SMCH cares about my health & wellbeing.

“We are thrilled to see such positive results from our employee engagement survey,” said Linn Block, CEO of SMCH. “These improvements reflect the hard work and dedication of our entire team. By prioritizing employee well-being, fostering a positive work environment, and empowering our staff, we are able to provide exceptional care to our patients.”

Human Resources Director, Lydia Larson, added, “We are particularly proud of the improvement in the category measuring the impact of changes on patient care. This demonstrates our commitment to continuous improvement and our focus on delivering high-quality care to our patients.”

To celebrate this achievement, SMCH and McCrary Rost Clinics hosted pizza parties at every location during the week of November 3-8. Additionally, the organization’s performance was compared to similar facilities with SMCH ranking 8.2% higher in overall employee engagement.

As SMCH and McCrary Rost Clinics move forward, the organization remains committed to fostering a positive work environment, empowering employees, and delivering exceptional patient care.

Stewart Memorial Welcomes New Chief Clinic Officer, Melissa Wallace

Lake City, IA – Stewart Memorial Community Hospital (SMCH) is pleased to welcome its new Chief Clinic Officer, Melissa Wallace, BSN. Wallace comes to Lake City from St. Anthony Regional Hospital, where she served as the Med-Surg-Peds and Critical Care Unit Director.

“I am very thankful for this opportunity and am excited to get started and join the Stewart Memorial team,” Wallace shared. “I have been fortunate to have good mentors and have now become a mentor myself. I hope to continue to do both in this role.”

Wallace has been a registered nurse for 12 years and joins the Stewart Memorial administration team with a wealth of nursing leadership experience. She previously worked at St. Anthony as the ER and Critical Care Unit Clinical Supervisor, ER House Supervisor, ER and intensive care unit nurse, and Interim Director of the Intensive Care Unit. Before working at St. Anthony, Wallace worked as a nurse in the cardiac/surgical intensive care unit at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Iowa.

“I am pleased to welcome Melissa in this pivotal leadership role,” shared SMCH CEO, Linn Block, RN, BSN, MHA. “Melissa will oversee the organization’s clinical operations and guide strategic initiatives to enhance patient care and community health outcomes at our four rural health clinics.” 

Stewart Memorial Community Hospital

SMCH is a 25-bed critical access hospital that provides acute and skilled care, outpatient diagnostic services, 24-hour emergency room coverage, ambulatory surgery, obstetrics, rehabilitation services, nutritional services, and more. The hospital is also affiliated with four rural McCrary Rost Clinics located in Gowrie, Lake City, Lake View, and Rockwell City.

Healing the Invisible Wounds: The Power of Mental Health Treatment for Veterans

In recognition of Veterans Day, Stewart Memorial Community Hospital (SMCH) and McCrary Rost Clinics are emphasizing the critical role of mental health treatment in addressing the unique challenges faced by veterans, particularly those struggling with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Many veterans who have served our country bravely often carry the invisible wounds of war, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. These conditions can significantly impact their quality of life, relationships, and overall well-being. Whether a veteran’s service was one or 50 years ago, they don’t have to continue to suffer. Mental health treatment offers a powerful tool for healing and recovery. Stewart Memorial Community Hospital and McCrary Rost Clinics are dedicated to providing accessible and effective mental health services to veterans.

“We are very happy to provide both medication and therapy services because those definitely work hand in hand and are essential to improving mental health,” shared SMCH Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Carrie Goodwin, DNP, PMHNP-BC. “So, if you come in to see me and I think that you have some issues that need to be worked through in therapy, I will gladly refer you to one of our therapists and vice versa. If a therapist is seeing a medication need that isn’t being addressed in therapy, they will refer you to one of our medication providers. We work very well in coordinating our care as a team.”

SMCH mental health specialists commonly work with trauma patients, helping them find appropriate and effective coping skills to adapt.

How Mental Health Therapy Can Help Veterans:

  • Processing Trauma: Therapy provides a safe and supportive space for veterans to process traumatic experiences and develop healthy coping mechanisms.
  • Managing Symptoms: Therapists can teach veterans strategies to manage symptoms of PTSD, such as hypervigilance, flashbacks, and nightmares.
  • Building Resilience: Therapy helps veterans build resilience, enabling them to cope with stress and adversity.
  • Improving Relationships: Therapists can help veterans improve their relationships with family, friends, and loved ones.
  • Reducing Suicidal Risk: Early intervention and ongoing therapy can significantly reduce the risk of suicide among veterans.

If you are a veteran struggling with mental health challenges, please know that you are not alone. Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

“We have a crisis line number and a mental health area action team that people can call if they need immediate help,” said Goodwin. “Call the ER, call your primary care provider, call the clinic, call someone. There is no need to struggle in silence. We are here to help you. We are trained to help you. And we want to help you.”

Key Resources for Veterans in Need:

Dawn Parkins Receives DAISY Award Nomination

We’re thrilled to celebrate our latest DAISY Award nominee, Dawn Parkins, for her outstanding dedication and compassion in patient care. Dawn recently made an incredible impact while supporting a family during the birth of their granddaughter. Her exceptional guidance and kindness helped them feel calm, confident, and well-informed during each step of the process.

“Dawn has an amazing personality,” the nomination reads. “She was a compassionate, caring coach and nurse for my granddaughter’s birth. She was not only there for her, but she was there for her husband and me, too. Dawn explained what was going on, what would be happening next, and helped my daughter focus during delivery. She is the best.”

This heartfelt nomination reflects Dawn’s dedication to making every patient feel valued and understood. From offering emotional support to guiding them through what to expect, her commitment to care truly shines.

Thank you, Dawn, for going above and beyond and embodying the compassionate care that makes such a difference in our patients’ lives every day.